Chapter 4

After three long days on the trail, Kid was hot, tired, and determined. Now, as they reached midday on the fourth day, he was starting to get impatient. He kept reminding himself that every step Katy took was another step closer to the woman he loved with all his heart. Having spent most of the last three days traveling in near silence though was starting to affect him. Curly had shown up out of nowhere with little explanation as to where they were going. Kid only knew that Curly had seen Lou, that she was alive but unconscious when he left, and that his tribe was taking care of her. Other than that, he was as much in the dark as he was when Cody arrived back at the station a few days ago.

Ahead of him, Curly pulled up on his reins, slowing his mount as he stopped to cast a keen eye to the skies. Feeling the change in the wind, he commented, "Storm's coming. We stop here and find shelter." Turning to his pale friend, Curly led the two riders through a small copse of trees to where there was a rise. Finding a spot against the rise and between the trees, the wavy-haired Lakota dismounted, pulling a rolled up hide from his horse. Kid, following the man's lead, climbed down from Katy's back and started to help his friend tie the hide to the trees, effectively creating a make-shift lean-to under which they could wait out the passing storm. Tethering their horses to nearby trees, Curly and Kid soon found themselves sitting under the stretched hide moments before the skies gave a great shudder and opened up above them. The rain fell in great torrents, but given that it was a summer storm, both men expected it to pass fairly quickly. Having pulled his bedroll off Katy before the rains began, Kid and Curly now sat huddled under the makeshift shelter. Despite the heat of the day, Curly seemed to be taking things in stride, while Kid was hot and sweaty. His skin itched under the two layers he wore. Throwing propriety to the wind, he pulled his blue shirt off, stripping the long john shirt as well and throwing it into a ball on the ground. As he sat and watched the rain pour down, he asked his friend, "So, Curly, how long til we get to the camp?"

Turning to glance at his friend, Curly responded, "I see you are anxious to be reunited with your Shappa again." The brave gave a small laugh as he watched the man next to him settle against the back of their shelter, a smile spreading on his face. "I too am ready to be home again," Curly began. At Kid's curious look, he continued, "My wife will be awaiting my return and I have been many days without her."

Grinning, Kid said, "You have a wife! How about that! Congratulations!"

Returning the Southerner's grin with one equally brilliant, he added, "Magaskawee agreed to be my wife almost a year ago. Her mother is the healer in our village, and a wise woman. She told Magaskawee of our union before we had met. So, when I arrived back to the village after my troubles in Sweetwater, she had been expecting me. Although I did not want to leave her, she assured me that I needed to make this journey for Shappa and that she would be well cared for in my absence."

"Is your wife unwell?" Kid asked, noticing the hitch in his friend's voice.

"No, but our daughter is still very small," he shared.

"And you have a daughter?" Kid exclaimed. "You are full of surprises today. I can see why you wouldn't want to be away from them for very long."

"Yes. But they are well. And Magaskawee has been caring for Shappa along with her mother and sister. You will meet them soon, I think." Pausing he added, "You know my sister, Kimimela, is very taken with Shappa. When those men attacked her, Shappa showed great bravery riding in there to face them. She saved my sister from great shame and in turn brought the admiration of our entire village."

"Can you tell me what happened with the men by the creek?" Kid asked, wanting more information than Cody was able to give back in Rock Creek.

"Kimimela had gone to the creek to fetch water for our home. When she got there, five men were waiting for her. They grabbed her from behind and were planning to use her in unspeakable ways. Her screams were heard by Shappa, bringing her to the creek. Once she arrived, Shappa saw the harm that would befall Kimimela and charged at the men. She shot two of them and knocked a third one out of the way before the leader fired at her, using Kimimela as a shield. Shappa fell from her horse and hit her head on the rocks below the creek, knocking her out. The last man was trying to force her under the water when some braves from our village heard the commotion and came to their aid. They killed the rest of the men and almost killed Shappa, thinking she was one of them, but Kimimela threw herself over Shappa begging for the braves to bring her back and to spare the pale-haired man who tried to help. The braves carried Shappa back to the village on their horses. When they arrived, Kimimela shared her tale with the village," Curly explained.

Shaking his head, Kid said, "That sounds like something Lou would do. She tends to not think sometimes."

"I think it is the way of women to do things that confuse their men," Curly said with a knowing smile. Kid laughed at that, thinking about the number of times Lou did things that drove him crazy or just made him worry.

"Marriage has changed you, Curly," Kid commented as he listened to the newfound wisdom coming from his old friend.

Nodding, Curly looked to Kid, saying, "It will change you, too, my friend. Magaskawee has shown me how wonderful life can be and with the arrival of our little Wichahpi, I know the gods will bless us with many more sons and daughters." Pausing, he asked, "And what of you and Shappa, my friend? Will you join your life with hers?"

"I can only hope Lou will accept me someday. But, I would like nothing more than to call her my wife and have a family with her," Kid confessed.

"You know the braves were quite taken with Shappa. They admire her bravery and fearlessness and believe the man that captures her heart will be lucky indeed."

"Yeah? How do they think she will bring them luck?" Kid asked, curious to hear where Curly was going with this. Of course he already knew that Lou was one-of-a-kind, but to hear other people, especially fierce warriors speak so highly of her, made him a bit uneasy.

"With her fighting spirit comes great passion. She will no doubt provide her husband with many sons," Curly explained.

Kid, who had taken a swig of water from his canteen nearly choked on the liquid when Curly mentioned Lou and children. Patting him on the back, Curly asked, "Me thinks this frightens you. I was once frightened at the prospect, but no longer. You will see."

"I'm not afraid of having children with Lou, you just caught me by surprise," Kid explained once he had regained his composure.

"Then you will not mind children?" Curly asked, watching Kid carefully. "Perhaps you have already seen her passionate side," he added, watching the color rise in his friend's face.

Thankful that his face was already flushed with the heat of the day, Kid hung his head in embarrassment over Curly's rather astute comments. "Curly, I would marry her tomorrow if she would agree to it. And I would certainly welcome any children we would have. I love her," he confessed, taking another swig from his canteen.

"Well, we will have to see what we can do once we arrive at camp. Perhaps my brother will marry you two and you may live as man and wife," Curly suggested

Placing the cap back on his canteen, Kid looked out through the trees, noticing the rain had eased a bit. High in the sky, the sun was starting to emerge from behind the clouds that had brought the downpour with it. As the sun grew stronger and the rain dissipated, Curly stood from beneath their temporary shelter, saying, "I think we should go and find your Shappa as she is probably most eager to see you again, especially if she is anything like my wife. Let us go now before the rain decides to come back and keep us from our women any longer than is necessary."

Grinning at the good news Curly just delivered, Kid stood, slipping his arms back into his shirt. Stowing his long john shirt and canteen on Katy, he returned to the crude shelter to help Curly untie it and roll it back up before the brave could add it to his own mount. Climbing atop his beloved paint mare, Kid was ready to finally find his girl.

"It should only be a few hours more before we enter the village," Curly explained as they started picking their way through the trees. "Once we arrive, let me go first and we will find my wife and Eyota. She will take you to Shappa."

"Eyota?" Kid asked, confused.

"Eyota is the healer and wise woman who has been caring for Shappa. She is mother of Magaskawee and Kimimela. Do not worry, my friend, for she will watch over Shappa until she is well again. You will see," Curly explained. Turning his horse northward, he urged the stallion into a gallop as they once again found themselves on the vast plains. Kid was soon by his side, riding as fast as he could on the promise of holding Lou in his arms once again. Together, the two men raced off to the Lakota camp and the two women they held most dear.